Norths Eagles heavy in firepower
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, January 3, 2006
One of the toughest positions to fill on a high school basketball team is the center spot.
The right player has to have height, size, speed, coordination and shooting skills. But at the same time, has to be able to get in a few pushing and shoving matches.
Oak Mountain head coach Jerry North seems to have found a pretty good center in Justin Luquire.
Luquire, a six foot, six inch senior, weighs in at 215 pounds.
The Eagles&8217; big man has helped OMHS to a 15-1 record this season using his excellent touch on the ball and ability to shoot free-throws, &8212; both skills that centers tend to lack.
He was named MVP of the Pelham Invititational Tournament this past week, scoring in double digits in all three games.
But the Eagles are not restricted to just using the big man this season.
Seniors Thomas Nordyke and Tyler Gallimore playing at the guard positions have left North with a variety of offensive firepower.
Both Nordyke and Gallimore can hit shots from just about anywhere on the floor &8212; leaving defenders with the difficult task trying to stop them everywhere on the floor.
The Eagles are getting into the thick of their season this week as they play host to Hueytown on Thursday.
Region 6 provides a difficult road for the Eagles to travel, and the Class 6A playoffs will not be any easier.
The Eagles are streaking right now but they&8217;ve had a few scares in the past few week, leaving the team with a good bit of work to do if they want to make a 6A title run.
But wins over region opponents Vestavia Hills on Jan. 10 and Spain Park on Jan. 13 could give the Eagles the momentum they need to win an region title and more